As you wish dining

[josumello]

Just booked our first HAL cruise. How do you book As you wish dining? I incorrectly assumed that I would do it on website or app. However I didn’t find any place to do it. The website is less than impressive!! I did email my TA about this. 
 

Thanks

[oakridger]

Your TA should have booked your dining choice when they booked your cruise.  Same with your bed configuration choice.

 

 

~Nancy

Edited February 17 by oakridger

[oakridger]

The TA should also send the "Booking Confirmation" from HAL which has the dining and bed choices as well as the payment details and OBC, perks, etc.

 

Have a great trip!

 

~Nancy

 

 

Edited February 17 by oakridger

[McDeb2119]

I think in HAL terms it is anytime dining for which you cannot book in advance. You have the choice of early late dining in advance. For anytime dining, you simply show up and wait to be seated. Usually on the upper floor of the dining room IIRC. 

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, McDeb2119 said:

I think in HAL terms it is anytime dining for which you cannot book in advance. You have the choice of early late dining in advance. For anytime dining, you simply show up and wait to be seated. Usually on the upper floor of the dining room IIRC. 

The cruise I booked last week through TA, said I had 3 options for dining and asked which I would like - Early, Main or Anytime.

[oakridger]

1 hour ago, Haljo1935 said:

The cruise I booked last week through TA, said I had 3 options for dining and asked which I would like - Early, Main or Anytime.

 

This is correct information @McDeb2119.  It, however, is true that you can't at this time reserve a specific time each evening for Anytime Dining pre cruise. On the ships I have sailed on the Anytime Dining entrance is on the lower level of the dining room.  That may be different on other ships. 

 

Can anyone with more experience confirm if Anytime Dining entrance is on the upper level on some ships?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic @McDeb2119!

 

~Nancy

Edited February 17 by oakridger

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, oakridger said:

 

This is correct information @McDeb2119.  It, however, is true that you can't at this time reserve a specific time each evening for Anytime Dining pre cruise. On the ships I have sailed on the Anytime Dining entrance is on the lower level of the dining room.  That may be different on other ships. 

 

Can anyone with more experience confirm if Anytime Dining entrance is on the upper level on some ships?

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic @McDeb2119!

 

~Nancy

All of the ships I've been on, Anytime is on 2 (lower), fixed (early and late) is on 3 (upper). There are a couple ships I've not been on (the Z's and Rotterdam), but fully expect Rotterdam would be on 2 and suspect that it's the same on the other 2 (although I think the deck numbers are different on one of them, it would be the lower). I'm sure someone with experience will jump in here.

Edited February 17 by Haljo1935
Additional comment

[VMax1700]

Rotterdam is deck 2 for (as mentioned on key card) "Open Dining".

[POA1]

I think that the Zaandam & Volendam have a dining room on decks 4 & 5. Upper is still fixed seating and lower is open. The rest of the fleet is decks 2 & 3.

[josumello]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I did check my invoice and the TA did put us down for open dining. Having sailed other lines that have you do it all online I thought that is how HAL would do it. Wrong. I am learning slowly!!

I still don’t see where I can view our account with O B C credits. Am I missing something?

Also want to apply for my husband’s military OBC. I did verify he is eligible but they only have a form for future bookings and our cruise is already booked. Oh well. I will figure it out. 
again thanks

[lstrong]

For military OBC call your TA and they will send you the form on line to complete 

[fusion927]

With anytime dining, once on board you can reserve a dining time for the next few days, except there are times (maybe 5:30-6:30) where they severely restrict reservations since that's 'prime time' for dining.

 

Mark

 

 

[josumello]

6 minutes ago, lstrong said:

For military OBC call your TA and they will send you the form on line to complete 

He actually sent me the web site link. Unfortunately it is set up for future cruises not ones that are already booked. 

[kazu]

2 hours ago, josumello said:

I still don’t see where I can view our account with O B C credits. Am I missing something?

 

OBC from HAL show on the HAL confirmation (first page) which you TA should have sent you.  If your TA is giving you OBC, it doesn’t show n the HAL confirmation as it is coming from your TA.  You will see it once you board, though.

 

 

[Cruise Suzy]

1 minute ago, kazu said:

If your TA is giving you OBC, it doesn’t show n the HAL confirmation

 

My TA gives OBC and it shows with all my other OBC on page 1 of the confirmation.

[kazu]

19 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

My TA gives OBC and it shows with all my other OBC on page 1 of the confirmation.

 

Thanks.  Interesting - must be a different set up.  My TA’s doesn’t.  It’s not a concern since I have her email and it always appears on board.

 

My TA’s OBC is refundable unlike HAL OBC - I wonder that has anything to do with it?  

I guess it’s a case of YMMV when it comes to TA OBC. 

[Cruise Suzy]

1 hour ago, kazu said:

My TA’s OBC is refundable unlike HAL OBC - I wonder that has anything to do with it?  

 

Could be - the OBC from our TA is non-refundable.

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

Could be - the OBC from our TA is non-refundable.

 

I think that explains it.  My TA’s is always refundable and has never appeared on a HAL confirmation.  it’s just fine by me.

 

[Naismith]

18 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

All of the ships I've been on, Anytime is on 2 (lower), fixed (early and late) is on 3 (upper). There are a couple ships I've not been on (the Z's and Rotterdam), but fully expect Rotterdam would be on 2 and suspect that it's the same on the other 2 (although I think the deck numbers are different on one of them, it would be the lower). I'm sure someone with experience will jump in here.

Well, just to add a wrinkle...all of the ships I've been on, one checks in for Anytime on the lower level.  But more than once on Nieuw Amsterdam, we were asked if we were able to walk up the stairs.  And so we followed up to the higher level for our seating.  

[RuthC]

4 minutes ago, Naismith said:

But more than once on Nieuw Amsterdam, we were asked if we were able to walk up the stairs.  And so we followed up to the higher level for our seating.  

That was because there was an available table in the fixed dining area at the time. Perhaps a table of passengers assigned there had gone to a specialty restaurant, or the Lido, that night. No need to waste the seats, or make you wait. 

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, Naismith said:

Well, just to add a wrinkle...all of the ships I've been on, one checks in for Anytime on the lower level.  But more than once on Nieuw Amsterdam, we were asked if we were able to walk up the stairs.  And so we followed up to the higher level for our seating.  

Oh yes, I've had that happen. I probably should have said the check in is on the lower level but actual dining could be on either  😉